Automatic cutter



Sepf.'a lo? 1946. J, R, MCLAUGHLIN.' y 2,407,36g

' AUTOMATIC GUTTEI A Filed Oct, 23, 1942 4 Sheets-:Sheet l Q Q ITI-6.4.

lNvENToR. y JOHN R. McLAuGHLlN.

ATTORNEY.

Sept. 10, 1946. J. R. MCLAU'GHLIN 2,407,316

` AUTMATIG CUTTER v Filed Oct. 25, 1942 Sheets-Sheet 2 1x WIT-0 XU, f/'I JA I I mvElvToRl J HN RMCLAUGHLIN. BY Q. g

.ATTORNEY J. R. MCLAUGHLIN AUTOMATIC CUTTER Filed bet. 23, 1942 Sept. 10, 1946.

4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

JOHN R. MCL GHLIN. MQ.

ATTORNEY.

Sept 011946 J. R. McLAUG-HLIN 4079316 AUTOMATIC CUTTER l Filed Oct. 25, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mvE-ToR.

r N v.lo NRMGLAU HUN. e vBY P1615. y M7 Q- ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 10, 1946 AUTOMATIC CUTTER John R. McLaughlin, New Brunswick, N. J., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Tampax Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October 23, 1942, Serial No. 463,095

13 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for automatically forming Acompressed form-sustaining wads of absorbent cotton or the like for use for sanitary purposes, and said apparatus more specically relates to devices which are coordinated with a sewing machine and adapted to sever the withdrawing string which is employed in certain types of these sanitary articles.

Prior to being compressed, and when leaving the sewing machinethe cotton or other material has been cut into elongated pieces with the fibers disposed transversely, and these pieces have been stitched longitudinally in spaced relation to each other with a connecting string between them. Upon leaving the sewing machine, and prior to being operated upon by a compressing and forming apparatus, the attached pieces in the form of a continuous strip are passed through devices which are adapted to sever the string close to an end of each piece, thus leaving a tail attached to each piece. The present apparatus is designed for the purpose of accurately and effectively performing this severing operation.

An object of my present invention is to provide a machine that is adapted to rapidly, successively,

and efliciently sever the withdrawing string close to an end edge of each piece of absorbent material, and to do this without injury to the respective pieces while they are being operated upon.

Another object is to perform the cutting operation automatically and without interference with the continuous operation of the apparatus which sews the strings.

Still another object is to provide an apparatus which is capable of being readily coordinated with the sewing machine, or with the compressing and forming apparatus, or both, while my present apparatus is operating in a continuous manner.

The above-mentioned, as well as other objects, aims, and advantages of my improvements, will be obvious to persons skilled in the art after the construction and operation of my apparatus is understood. It may be mentioned that it is an same, in substantially the manner hereinafter fully described, and as more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Cil

In connection with the present disclosure, reference is herein made to the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side View in elevation of an apparatus which embodies the features of my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view in elevation taken transversely through the structure shown in Figure 1 substantially along line II--II of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a perspective View of a rotary string cutter holder utilized in the device shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of a blade-retaining plate used in connection with the holder shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a blade of the type it is desired to employ in connection with the elements herein shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the apparatus disclosed in Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a perspective View of the gear indexi'ng roller utilized in conjunction with the assembled apparatus shown in Figures 1 and 6.

Figure 8 is a vertical side elevation of the apparatus, portions of which are in section substantially along line VIII-VIII'of Figure 6. j

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line IX-IX of Figure 6, drawn to a larger scale.

Figure 10 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the position of severing Isuccessive strips of cotton having a stitched connecting `string therebetween after leaving the sewing machine, and showing the string severed at one of the strips.

Figure 11v is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially along line XI--XI of Figure 6. y

Figure 12 is a fragmentary plan View taken substantially upon the plane of line XII-XII of Figure 8.

Figure 13 is a perspective View of a cam follower 'shown at the lower portion of Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a sectional View taken substantially along line XIV-XIV of Figure 12.

Figure 15 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially along line XV-XV of Figure 8.

Figure 16 is a perspective View of a trip lever such as shown in assembled association in Figure 12.

AThe drawings are understood to be more or less schematic for the purpose of illustrating a typical or preferred form of my invention, and in said tus. A lateral extension A' projects to one side ofv the feed or front end of the base A, uponfwhi'ch extension a suitable speed-reducer D is mounted and driven by a shaft E receiving motion' fron'i ,a driving pulley E' that is actuated from any suitable source. A transmission'shaft E2 isY connectedv by a clutch device E3 to the main 'shaft Iii of the apparatus that is mounted in' the vertical plates` Suitable vertically disposed guide plates l I; that are fiared away from each other at their outer ends,- extend longitudinally between the i vertical plate-s C, C' from the|` front towardsftherear' of the structure for the'purp'ose 'of g'uiding'and' preventing lateral displacement of the"l articles'for strip of material that moves through themachine, and a conveyor apron II 2 receives theVV articles' after they have been operated upon between theguides I I and conveysv the separated' articles away-` from the apparatus.

The conveyor aproni I-2f travels upon an inclined bed' I 3secured toupwardly'eitending arms I4 that are preferably removably connected to the discharge end-ofl the apparatus; andfsaid apron I2 passes around a' pulley Ie'at the low'er'end of the bed I3, that has its spindle I6, which-fis 'jour'- naledin 'said arms I 4,' provided "with an' extended end carrying a sprocket I'I*A that isdriven- -by a chain I8.

The main shaft IQ isiprovided with a' sprocket i5 that is' engaged with-a chain2l-extending'towards the discharge or rear'fend'of` the `apparatu-'g"where saidl chain 20 engages-another sprocket 2 I on" the adjacent end of a jack-shaft 2'2-'journaled in the verticalplatesC; C' through'themedium' of a sprocket, 2-3 upon-ftheotherendof said jack-shaft 22 and-is also engaged withthechaini3; whereby the apron-engaged pulley Il is actuatedatrsubstantiallythesame speedgasgthe pulley 20. that is secured tothe jack-shaft 22 betweenthe verticaljplates C, C'. The apron bed-I and supporting arms,` lIll may beanindependent-structure that is detachably connected to the delivery or rear end of "theapparatus as detailed in Figure 1'1. The lower ends ofrsaid arms I4 are provided with downwardly opening slots Ida-'that embrace adjacent portions ofthe pulley spindleor shaft which permits the structure .being liftedoff the machine. Iihe intermediate portions of they arms I4 have supports lbmovably connected to' them by pivot members IAC. v ,Y v

Aboutn'iidway the length ofthe vertical-plates C, C' there is a small pulley 25 about which an aprorrZS is engaged and whichjsdriven by the pulley 24 onAV the spindle or shaft' 22- that extends between the vertical plates C,VC' and is journaled therein for rotation` Said apron 2B is disposed with its upper reach in a substantially horizontal plane as shown in Figure 9, and there is a small idle pulley 2l engaged with the under surface of the apron 25 intermediate thepulleys 24 and 25 the purpose of which will be later explained. Pulleys 25 and 2'! have their respective spindles, 28- and 29, suitably journaled in adjacent portions of thel vertical plates C, C', the pulley 25 being freely rotatable onits spindle- 28. A tension pulley 39, with its spindle 5l journaled in swinging arms 32, is adapted to maintain the apron 2S taut and take up any slack therein. The arms 3f: are pivotally mounted at their lower ends on studs 33 projecting from the vertical plates C, C', and they are pulled in the desired direction by coiled springs' 34,34, that have their ends suitably connected to 'said arms and to lateral pins @5, 35 projecting from the inner faces of the vertical plates Cj'C, as shown in Figure 9.

Presser rollers 36, 3S, are mounted above and in contact with the top reach or run of the apron 2Iiv so' thatvthey normally will bear down upon thea'pro'n. Thetrunnions 3l, 3? of these presser 'rollers'SGg 36, rotate freely in upwardly opening verticalslots" 33, 33, in carriers 3S, 39, secured to the-upper edges of the vertical plates C, C', and said rollers 35, t6, are preferably of solid construction of sufiicient weight to firmly contact the pieces or wadsl of cotton as the latter successively pass beneathfsaid rollers 35, 36 on the'apron- 26' while movingthrough the machine. When thewads of cottonen'gage the presser rollers 36,136, the'latter will be lifted as shown in dotted lines in Figure 9 and frictionally press down on'said wads'until the latter have passed said rollers 3S after' which the rollers 36, 35, will each return to their apron-contacting positions as shown-'in thefull lines in said gure.

The-'wads of cotton X are elongated and are provided with longitudinal stitching Y, and said wads are spaced apart suitable distances and are, when being fed into the machine, joined by a string Z which is a continuation of the stitching Y'thatl is adapted to be severed as shown in Figureli) during transit through the machine. The wadsi-and the-strings provide a continuous strip ofmaterial when fed into the apparatus.

A't'fthe front end ofi the machine there is a cor rugated feed roller lie that is fast on the horizontalmain shaft l that has its end opposite the` sprocket Ig provided with a gear di. Coacting with this feed roller it is an opposing presserroller`42 that has its spindle C253 carried in the free-or" swinging endsof elongated lever-arms lili thatincline downward towards the opposite end ofthe machine where their rear ends are secured to the spindle 28 upon which the-apron-pulley 25 is'loo'sely'mounted for rotation. Said spindle 28 performs the function of a rock-shaft for actuatingcertain portions of thermachine that controlthe timedv operation of the cutter as later explained. The' presser-roller Il? is yieldably urged towards the corrugated feed roller lil by meanslof coiled springs 45, 45, that are connected at theirupper ends to the projecting portions of-spindle 133 andv at their lower ends are engaged with lateral pins d5, l on the vertical plates C, C.

A horizontal shaft [il is journaled in bearings in the vertical plates C, C', with its end portions projected beyond said plates in the manner shown in Figure' 2, and the intermediate portion of said *shaftv 41 has a roller it anchored to it for rotation therewith. This roller di is located between the corrugated feed roller d and the apron pulley 25 sothat the upper surface of said roller 48 is disposed in substantially the horizontal plane of the upper reach or run of the-apron'Zi. Above and in vertical alignment with'the axis of roller 48, there isi' a rotatable severing or cutting device which embodies a mutilated cylinder d@ secured to a rotatable shaft 5o that is journaled in the vertical plates C, C', This cylindrical member 49 has a ilattened portion 5l and itis alsoprovided with an angular groove or notch 52 which provides a seat in which a blade 53 is secured by an adjustable' clamping plate 54 so that the sharpened edge of said blade projects beyond the circumferential surface of said cylindrical member 49 in the manner shown in Figure 9 so that it will come into contactive engagement with the roller 48 when these portions of the machine are in operation.

The movement of the cutting cylinder 49 is timed so that the blade 53 will contact and sever the connecting string Z between the wads of cottan at a location close to the trailing edge of each wad as shown in Figure l0. The shafts 41 and 50 have gears 55 and 56 respectively that are secured to their extended ends and which are in mesh with each other so that they will be rotated in opposite directions and at the same speed. The roller 48 and the cutter member 45 are preferably adapted to be intermittently rotated for each severing or cutting operation performed by the blade 53, and when the wad X is between the roller 48 and the curved surface of cutter member 49 said wad will be in a compressed condition due to the fact that the space between the surfaces of these elements is preferably less than the thickness of a wad X.

The end of shaft 41 beyo-nd its gear 55 has a cam element 51 secured to it, and the edge of said cam is provided with a notch 58 in which a small roller 59, rotatably mounted upon the adjacent end of a rocker-arm 6i), is adapted to seat while the cutter rollers 48-45 are intermittently at rest or inactive. Said rocker-arm El) is pivotally mounted for free movement upon the extended portion of the apron-roller spindle 28, and the end of said arm opposite its roller 59 is adjacent an electric switch operating button 5i. A coiled spring 62, extending between the rollercarrying portion of the rocker-arm 60 and a pin 63 on the vertical plate C, maintains the opposite portion of said arm out of engagement with said switch-button 5l as shown in Figure 8, but when the roller 59 moves out of the notch 58 and engages the edges of cam 51 the arm 6i! will be rocked to depress the switch-button El and thus maintain the latter in this position until the cam has made one revolution and the roller 55 has again seated in the notch 58.

The depressing of the switch-button El is adapted to form an electric circuit which will energize and actuate a solenoid 64 or the like, and the movement of the solenoid operates a lever E5 that is fulcrumed at one end on a post 65 arising from the base A and which, at its free end, is ccnnected by a link G1 to the movable element of the solenoid 54. The shaft 41, which carries the cam 51 at one end, has its opposite end extended beyond the vertical plate C and has a gear 68 loosely mounted on it in mesh with an idle gear 59 that is in mesh with gear 4i on the main shaft I5, so

that the gear 58 will run free on its shaft 41, and

said gear is maintained against longitudinal movement on shaft 41 by a shoulder 10 on the adjacent portion of said shaft.

A clutch member 1| is secured to said gear 68, and an opposing clutch member 12 is slidably mounted on and rotatable with said shaft beyond the shoulder 1E). A tubular sleeve 13, formed With clutch member 12, surrounds shaft 41 and projects beyond the end thereof where it is provided with a conical head, the apex of which latter is engaged with the enlarged end 15 of an adjusting screw 16 carried in the adjacent portion of lever 65 and maintained in position by lock-nut 11.

The sleeve 13 has alined slots 18 to receive the projecting ends of a transverse pin 19 that passes through said shaft 41, and a coiled spring BE) within the sleeve 13, between the end of shaft 41 and the inner end of the conical head 14, normally urges the clutch member outwardly on the shaft 41 and away from the clutch member 1i.

When the solenoid 54 is energized, the lever 55 will swing inwardly and move the clutch member 12 into engagement with the other member 1I, thereby connecting the power mechanism through gears 4| 69 and 68 to the shaft 41, causing the latter to rotate and turn the roller 45 and the cutter cylinder 49 through the instrumentalities of the gears 55 and 55. It is desirable that this operation be started prior to the disengagement of the roller l59 from cam notch 58, and this is readily accomplished by providing an elongated finger 8l projecting from a boss 82 that is secured to the rock-shaft 28 between the rocker-arm 50 and the vertical plate C'. This finger 8i is disposed alongside the portion of said arm 55 which projects towards switch-button 5i, and it is of the saine length as said arm portion just mentioned. Thus, when the wad X enters between the advancing rollers 49 and 42 and lifts the latter roller 42, the carrier arms 44 thereof will turn the rockshaft 23 causing the finger 8| to act as a detent or pawl and operate the switch-button 6|, which will actuate the clutch to start the rotation of the cutter devices. When the wad X passes beyond the advancing rollers 40-42, the latter roller42 will drop back to normal position (Figure 9) and the finger 8i will be thereby disengaged from the switch-button 6i.- I-lowever, the rocker-arm 5t will continue to hold the button el depressed until the roller '59 has left the cam edge and has seated in the notch 58, whereupon the solenoid will be de-energized and the clutch elements li-12 will be separated by the action of the spring 80.

Although the advancing or feed rollers l5-42 K and the cutter devices 48-49, when operating, travel at the same number of revolutions per minute, the larger diameters of the cutter rollers 41-49 give them a higher peripheral speed than the feed rollers lil-42. This has the effect that when the cutting action takes place the part being cut is given tension by the higher surface speed of said cutter rollers. The drive of the apron 26 is so arranged that the lineal speed thereof is greater than the surface speed of the cutter.. rollers 48-49. As the material passes beneath the roller 35, the friction of the material against the apron 2E will keep the material under tension, while the cutting action is taking place, to enable the blade 53 to sever the string Z completely and cleanly.

As the material enters rollers 45-42, the latter roller 42 raises, and this movement causes solenoid E4 to be energized, thus throwing the toothed clutch members into assembly to start the cutting rollers, The position of the blade 53 is adjustable in relation to the position of the cam-notch 55 so that after the blade has started to move it will engage the advancing material at the exact point when the string Z is to be out. As the Wads travel on the apron 25, which has a greater surface speed than the peripheral speed of the cutter rollers 45-49, the tension which is thus imparted to the strio of moving material causes the string to tighten so that it is cut cleanly and is definitely separated from the leading wad X close to the trailing edge thereof. After the cutter rollers 48-49 have made the cut, the clutch elements will switch-button depressed untilthe cutter rollers have made one complete revolution'and have returned to theirstarting'fpbsitioris. Ther'oller'- dropping into cam-notchvi will cle-energize the soienoid and permit the clutch elements to become.

separated. The roller 42- at this moment Awill have returned to its normal position well ahead of the iast-described movements of theiapparatus, and the-cutter members are again ready for the next wad oithestripoi material as itpasses between the advancing rollers eik-ft2'. The aforesaid cycle oi" operation lwill continue so long as the continuous strip of material is edfto the-apparatus from the stitching machine.

While I have describedmyinvention in.l detail in itspresent embodiment or preferred form, it w1: Lice obvious to persons skilled in the art, afterun'derstanding my invention, that various changes and modiiicaticns may be made tnerein without departing `from the spirit or scope thereof. I aim in the appended claims' to cover all such'changes and modiiications.

1'. An apparatus for severing articles from'Y a continuousstrip, embodying continuously moving'r'n'eans for advancing the'strip; continuously moving means iorreceiving the advanced portion of the strip; intermittently operablesevering devices interposedbetween said advancing means and said receivingmeans; and electro-responsive means controlling the operation of said severing devices, said electro-responsive controlmeans beingtimed responsive to the position of and having operable connection with a portion of said strip advancing means.

2. An apparatus for severing articles' from a continuousv strip, embodyingmeans for advancing the strip; means for receiving the advanced portion of the strip; severing devices interposed between? said advancing means and said receiving means; and means controlling the operation of said severing devices, saidcontrol means com-y prising a-cam; a clutch connecting said severing devices toA a drive mechanism;V and means operatively connecting said clutch to said-cam.

3. An apparatus-for' severing articles froma continuous strip, embodying continuously moving-means for advancing the strip; continuously moving means for receiving the advanced portion of the strip; intermittently operable severing devices interposed between said advancing means and said receiving' means; and means controlling the operation of said severing devices, said control'rnea'ns comprisingV a cam; a clutch connecting said severing devices to a drive mechanism; and means operatively connecting said clutch to said cam.

4. An apparatus for severing articles from a continuous strip, embodying opposed feed rollers for advancing the strip, one of said rollers being bodily movable towards and away from the other roller; means receiving the advanced portion of the strip and adapted to tighten the adjacent portion thereof ;v severing devices interposedbetween said rollers and said tightening means; and' devices controlling the operation of said severing devices, said control devices having operable connection with said bodily movable roller.

5. An apparatus for severing articles from a continuous strip, embodying continuously4 movl" ing opposed feed rollers for advancing the strip, one ofV said rollers being bodiiy movable towards and away" from thel other roller; continuously said tightening means;

moving means-forreceivingtne advanced portion ofthestripV and adapted totighten the adjacent portion thereof; intermittently operable severing' devices interposed between said rollers and and devices Controlling the'rop'eration-o'f said severing devices, said control devices: having operable connection with said bodily movable roller.

6. An apparatus for severing articles from a continuous strip, embodying opposed feed rollers for advancing the strip, one of said rollers being movable bodily towards and away from the other roller; means for' receiving the advanced strip and adapted to tighten the adjacent portion thereof; severing devices interposed between said rollers andsaidtightening means; and devices controlling the operation of said severing devices, said control-devices comprising a cam; a clutch operatively connecting said severing devices to a drive mechanism; and means operatively connecting said clutch to said cam.

'7. An apparatus fori severing articles froma continuous strip, embodying continuously mov-f ing opposedfeed'rollers for advancing the strip, encor-saidrolle'rs being bodily movable towards and away from the other roller; continuously moving means for receiving the advanced portionof the strip and adapted to tighten the adjacent portion thereof; severing devices interposed-between said rollers and said tightening means; and-devices controlling the' operation of said severing devices, said control devices cornprising a camp; a clutch'- connecting said severingv devices to a drive mechanism; and means opera-- tively connecting said clutch to said'cam.

*8.* An` apparatus for severing a continuous strip having" spaced enlarged portions, embodying opposed rotatable feed roliers adapted to continuouslyad'vance the strip, one of said rollers movable bodily away from the other roller when engagedwith an enlarged portion of the strip; pivoted-arms upon which said movable roller is mounted; intermittently operable severing devices spaced from said rollers in the line of travel ofthe strip; a drive-shaft operatively connected to and actuating said rollers; means operatively connecting said drive-shaft and severing devices; a clutch interposedV in said means; electroresponsive devices for moving said clutch into' active and inactive positions whereby said severing devices are intermittently actuated; and an indexing nnger having operative connection with-and actuated by said pivoted arms for controlling said electro-responsive devices.

9;y An apparatus for severing a continuous strip having spaced enlarged portions, embodying opposedv feed? rollers adapted to continuously advancethe'strip, one of said rollers movable 'bodily away from the otherv roller when engaged with an enlarged portion of' the strip; pivoted arms uponv which said movable roller is mounted; a rock-shaft' actuated by the movement of said arms; intermittently operable severing devices spaced from saidiroilersiin the line of travel of the strip; a drive-shaft operatively connected to and; actuating said roilers; means operatively connecting said'drive-shaft'and severing means; a clutch-interposed in said means; electro-responsive devices fo'r moving said clutch into active and inactive positions whereby said severing devices are intermittently'a'ctuated; and an indexing` element secured to and" actuated bysaid' rock-shaft forcontrolling saidelectro-responsive devices.

lOi Anv apparatus for! severing a continuous str-ip'y having spaced' enlarged portions, embodying opposed rotatable feed rollers adapted to continuously advance the strip, one of said rollers movable bodily away from the other roller when engaged with an enlarged portion of the strip; `pivoted arms upon which said movable roller is mounted; intermittently operable severing devices spaced from said rollers in the line of travel of the strip; a drive-shaft operatively connected to and actuating said rollers; means operatively connecting said drive-shaft and severing devices; a clutch interposed in said means; electro-responsive devices for moving said clutch into active and inactive positions whereby said severing devices are intermittently actuated; an indexing finger having operative connection with and actuated by said pivoted arms for initially controlling said electro-responsive devices; a cam rotated by said severing devices; and a rocker-arm engaged with and actuated by said cam, said rocker-arm adapted to control said electro-responsive devices subsequent to the effective operation of said indexing nger.

11. An apparatus for severing a continuous strip, embodying opposed -feed rollers adapted to continuously advance the strip, one of said rollers movable bodily away from the other roller; pivoted arms upon which said movable roller is mounted; a rock-shaft actuated by the movement of said arms; intermittently movable severing devices spaced from said rollers in the line of travel of the strip; a drive-shaft operatively connected to and actuating said rollers; means operatively connecting said drive-shaft and severing devices; a clutch interposed in said means; electro-responsive devices for moving said clutch into active and inactive positions whereby said severing devices are intermittently actuated; an indeX- Y ing linger secured to and actuated by said rockshaft for initially controlling said electro-responsive devices; a cam actuated by said severing devices; and a rocker-arm engaged with and actuated by said cam, said rocker-arm adapted to control said electro-responsive devices subsequent to the effective operation of said indexing finger. s n

12. An apparatus for severing a continuous strip embodying opposed rotatable feed rollers adapted to continuously advance the strip, one of said rollers movable bodily away from the other roller; `pivoted arms upon which said movable roller is mounted; intermittently movable severing devices spaced from said rollers in the line of travel of the strip; an apron movable in the direction of travel of the strip; presser means coacting with said apron to maintain the strip in frictional contact therewith and also to tighten the strip between said apron and said rollers during cutting operation of said severing devices; a drive shaft operatively connected to and actuating said rollers; means operatively connecting said driveshaft and severing devices; a clutch interposed in said means; electro-responsive devices for moving said clutch into active and inactive positions whereby said severing devices are intermittently operated; and an indexing member having operative connection with and actuated by said pivoted arms for controlling said electro-responsive devices.

13. An apparatus for severing a continuous strip embodying opposed feed rollers adapted to continuously advance the strip, one of said rollers movable bodily away from the other roller; pivoted arms upon which said movable roller is mounted; an apron movable in the direction of travel of the strip; means coacting with said apron to maintain the strip in frictiona] contact therewith and also to tighten the strip between said apron and said rollers during the cutting operation of the severing devices; a rock-shaft actuated by the movement of said arms; intermittently operable severing devices spaced from said rollers in the line of travel of the strip; a drive shaft operatively connected to and actuating said rollers; means operatively connecting said driveshaft and severing devices; a clutch interposed in said means; electro-responsive devices for moving said clutch into active and inactive positions whereby said severing devices are intermittently actuated; and an indexing element secured to and actuated by said rock-shaft for controlling said electro-responsive devices.

J OHN R. MCLAUGHIJN. 

